How much does garden landscaping cost?
Garden landscaping is more than just trimming a few bushes and replacing cracked flags. Jobs can stretch from a couple of hundred pounds for a tidy-up to well into the thousands!
From structural work, like levelling, to investing in premium materials, the cost of items like turf, planting, paving and fencing starts to add up on larger plots.
By knowing more about how each stage is priced (and having a source of top-quality natural stone paving), homeowners can keep their spending habits more predictable. Stay with Ovation Landscaping as we answer: ‘how much does garden landscaping really cost?’
How much does garden landscaping cost?
Generally, homeowners can expect to pay £1,000 and £15,000 for landscaping (costs vary according to garden size and ambition). Some sources narrow this to £1,000 – £5,000 for a typical plot, with larger or complex schemes rising past £10,000.
A fully built new garden could come in at £11,500 to £18,500 once higher labour costs are considered! However, it’s important to note that these figures are ballpark. The total of any project is shaped by site access, ground conditions and even regional labour rates.
What are the main types of garden landscaping tasks?
Garden landscaping tasks are completed in stages: first, your landscaper will create a design, which is later followed by ground preparation.
Checkatrade prices levelling at £20 – £120 per m² and estimates that creating a 10 m × 1 m terrace on a slope comes in at £1,200 – £2,400.
Foundational work and flooring are known as ‘hard’ landscaping (for more on this, check out our blog ‘What is garden landscaping?’). ‘Soft’ landscaping tasks (e.g., ground cover materials, mulch, planting shrubs and perennials) complete the vision.
Real turf can cost £12 –£30 per m², whereas artificial grass is £25 –£60 per m² (and can exceed £4,000 for a 50 m² lawn fitted to a high standard!) But don’t forget about finishing touches, like fencing or lighting: these each have their own line in the budget.
Levelling
Levelling is the process of stripping turf, filling hollows with screened topsoil and then compacting the area so that rainfall drains away.
Checkatrade’s landscaping guide states that professional levelling costs range from £20 to £120 per m², with a simple 40 m² garden typically costing around £800 once waste removal is factored in.
If your garden has poor access or steep slopes, this will push the total up.
Ballpark price: 20 – £120 per m² (about £800 for 40 m²)
Terracing
On steeper plots, landscapers replace long slopes with a series of short, flat shelves retained by sleepers, stone or masonry so that each level can be used safely.
Checkatrade advises setting aside £1,200 – £2,400 for a 10 m-long by 1 m-deep terrace – roughly £120 – £240 per m² once excavation and back-fill are included.
Ballpark price: £1,200 – £2,400 for 10 m × 1 m
Patio/paving
Patios are small, solid, low-maintenance surfaces that connect your home to the outdoors. Checkatrade’s 2024 patio guide lists concrete slabs at £45–£75 per m².
However, when you shop for porcelain paving slabs or Indian sandstone paving with Ovation Landscaping, you could stand to save more!
Ballpark price: £45 to £75 per m²
Artificial grass
For those who want green grass all year round (without the hassle of mowing), Checkatrade prices budget rolls at £9–£14 per m², mid-range at £14–£24 and premium fibres at £45–£80 per m²; fully installed packages, including base layers, sit between £45 and £80 per m².
Ballpark price: £45–£80 per m² (supply and fit)
Real grass
A natural, well-maintained lawn is most homeowners' dreams, and according to Checkatrade’s guide to turfing, finished real-grass lawns usually cost £10 – £30 per m², with soil preparation and access to the garden being the main variables.
Ballpark price: £10 – £30 per m² laid, plus £20 per m² for any levelling needed
Shop Ovation Landscaping for natural stone paving!
With our guide to garden landscaping, you’ll know exactly where your budget stands.
When you’re ready to choose a finish that shrugs off frost, heavy foot traffic and everyday stains, browse our porcelain paving slabs!
Limestone and sandstone are naturally dense and resist freezing damage better than many man-made slabs, plus they can even raise your home’s selling price! Invest in your home today with Ovation Landscaping’s nationwide delivery.